This invention relates generally to clamps, and more particularly to a clamp for clamping a conduit to a structural supporting element, such as a channel.
Conventional conduit clamps comprise a pair of metal straps, each having inner and outer end portions and a central portion therebetween. The inner end portions of the straps are typically configured for connection to a channel with the straps extending outwardly from the channel on opposite sides of the conduit and the central portions of the straps disposed in face-to-face relation with the conduit. The outer end portions of the straps are drawn toward one another by tightening a screw received through holes in the outer end portions thereby to clamp the conduit between the central portions of the straps. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,375,513; 2,846,169; 3,417,951; 3,527,432; and 4,044,428 disclose conduit clamps of this type.
Using conduit clamps of the type described presents a problem in situations where a plurality of conduits are to be clamped side-by-side on a channel in that it is often difficult to tighten the screw of one clamp because of interference from an adjacent clamp. As shown in FIG. 1, this is because the plane of the outer end portion of each strap is generally parallel to the plane of the central and inner end portions of the strap. As a result, when one clamp is installed next to another clamp, the clamping screws are in alignment, which hinders access to the screw of the clamp being installed. This makes installation difficult.